The shadow of Sunstone Academy's grand towers stretched across the courtyards. Like judgment.
This was one of the most prestigious schools for the Gifted in the kingdom.
Where the future legends of the city were forged.
A young man leaned against a cold stone pillar, hands in his pockets. He watched the students gathered in the grand hall.
His mind drifted to memories. A different life. Before the disgrace. An ordinary life. Like everyone else's.
His family had not always been outcasts. His father was a knight. A man spoken of in whispered, disappointed tones.
A failure.
Unlike the sons of other knights, Edward was seen as a continuation of that failure.
In this world, there were Gifts. Awakenings. And the Gifted. There were dungeons. And horrifying monsters with powers that could shatter castles.
In this world, youths came of age. They presented themselves for the Awakening Ceremony. If they succeeded, they would receive a Rank and Class.
At first, he thought this was his chance.
Maybe he could become a legendary knight. Restore his family's honor. Make his name known in history.
But when his turn finally came, the universe's answer was clear.
Nothing.
"Rankless."
He sighed. The only thing he had gained from his lineage was a life full of whispers and cold shoulders.
Though not everyone saw him like that. His old instructor, a retired knight named Marcus, was the only one who still saw potential in him. He trained him in the sword, regardless of his lack of a Gift.
But Edward? No one else even looked at him.
He looked up at the vaulted ceiling. Did his father feel the same?
Edward didn't know much about him. His instructor said he was a good man, but never gave more details.
He shook his head to push away the thoughts. But just then—
"Isn't that the Rankless boy?"
He heard whispers from a group of nobles standing nearby.
"Yeah, but did you see Chris? I heard the Royal Knights want to recruit him already."
"Strange. How can the son of a noble be a legend, and the son of a knight be nothing? The bloodline must be cursed."
Edward blinked.
Nothing.
A word he had heard again and again. He could go up to them, yell in anger, maybe even draw his sword, but… what would be the point?
In the end, he just gave a cold smile and stood there without a word.
The Headmaster's voice boomed.
The final student, a noble's son, stepped down from the dais. His S-Rank awakening caused a roar of applause.
And then the hall began to empty. Students poured out. Their futures now set in stone.
And among them,
"Edward."
A sharp, arrogant voice that always managed to grate on his nerves.
He turned toward the sound and saw him. A young man with perfectly styled blond hair. Eyes that shone with power and contempt.
Chris strode toward him. His S-Rank aura was a palpable force.
"What happened? Still clinging to the hope that the crystal was just broken?"
"Just enjoying the show," Edward gave a faint smile.
"What? You don't like it when a true Gifted reminds you of your place?"
"Of course not. I love it," Edward said, his voice flat.
Chris laughed. A sharp, ugly sound.
They both walked out of the hall. Their paths diverged at the main gate.
The carriage moved down the cobbled road. Edward walked the familiar path to the lower districts.
He walked down the crowded street. His mind replayed the news he'd heard today.
"Can you believe it? The Royal Knights made Chris an offer right after the ceremony!"
Edward raised his eyebrows. "The Royal Knights?"
"Yeah! The most elite order in the entire kingdom!"
The Royal Knights. An elite force. It was said that their commander, the "Lionheart," had cleared the fiftieth floor of the Spire.
This order was active not only in the kingdom's dungeons but even in the Blighted Lands. Only the best of the best could join it.
"So, he's gonna become a top-tier Knight, huh?" Edward shrugged and laughed to himself.
He chuckled. "Well, he's a noble. It was expected, but…"
But his sentence was cut short.
The air changed.
Edward frowned. Suddenly, everything went quiet.
The chatter stopped.
The sky… turned a sickly grey.
An invisible wave of energy rippled through the air. Any Gifted could feel it.
A crack opened in the sky.
And from it, monsters fell.
The sounds of splintering wood and terrified screams filled the street. Just moments ago it had been bustling. Now… it looked like a nightmare.
From the grey rift, Goblins fell like cursed raindrops. Creatures with sickly green skin. Glowing red eyes. Mouths made only for snarling.
Wiry beings with bodies like twisted children. But with swollen, muscular arms. Their skin was covered in boils and scars.
Unlike their weak appearance, they wielded huge, rusted cleavers with surprising speed. Their eyes burned with a hateful fire.
Every time they shrieked, a foul stench filled the air.
Some of them were even larger. Their skin a darker green. Their muscles bulging with unnatural strength.
"A dungeon breach! Damn it!" Edward stared, his heart pounding like it would burst out of his chest.
He recognized these monsters. The Scrab Goblins.
He never expected to get caught up in a breach like this. Why was he always this unlucky?
Next to him, a city guard drew his sword. A faint blue aura appeared around it. He had awakened his power. But he wasn't strong enough to handle this horde.
He was just a low-ranked guard.
"We have to protect the people!" Fear was clear in his voice.
The guard charged into the fray without hesitation.
"Damn it! There are too many!" Edward pulled the simple, un-enchanted sword from his belt.
"This" He was suddenly faced with horrifying scenes.
A merchant trying to escape was cut down by a monster in an instant.
A mother, holding her child, hid behind a fruit cart.
Edward wanted to do something. Anything. But his body froze.
He wasn't even Gifted. In this world, he was nothing but a weak and ordinary human.
Just then, he heard a child scream.
She was standing alone. Frozen. Her cries were piercing, but not enough to be heard over the chaos. She was still a toddler.
Scrab Goblins were at least F-rank monsters. In a swarm like this, they were deadly.
And then, suddenly… one of the largest goblins locked its gaze on the child.
A five-foot-tall body. A cleaver shining with a deadly edge. Eyes full of rage and hunger.
Edward saw the beast rushing toward the girl. Faster than any normal human could react.
"No!"
But before the girl could move, before the monster could reach her,
Edward threw himself in front of the beast.
The monster's cleaver pierced his chest.
Unimaginable pain. Edward's eyes widened. Blood spilled from his mouth.
"Gah…!" he choked out.
"Kreee!" the goblin shrieked in victory.
Edward fell to the ground.
The sounds of battle and screams around him no longer mattered.
All he felt was the coldness of death.
But then, something strange happened.
Instead of dying, his body began to absorb a strange energy.
His blood droplets didn't fall. They hovered in the air. Glowing like black jewels.
"W… what?"
And then, a voice echoed in his mind.
`[Candidate Soul Integrity Confirmed.]`
`[Hades Core Override Activated.]`
Everything went Black.